Fuselage construction



Dec. 21,1937.

F. R. WEYMOUTH FUSELAGE CONSTRUCTION Filed April 4, 1935 I INVENTOR.

FREDERICK Rmnoum.

BY v

ATTOR YS.

' 40 ing the whole unit.

Pittman. 21, 1932 $102 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE rescues CONSTRUCTION Frederick R. weymouth, Buflalo, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Curtiss-Wrlght'Corporation, a corporation of New York Application April 4, 1935, Serial No. 14,550 I sciaims. (Cl. 244-119) This invention relates toaircraft,-and more laterally spaced from one another, a top secparticularly to metal fuselage construction tion 1 joined at its lateral edges to the uppertherefor. j edges of the side sections, and a bottom section The invention pertains particularly to improved 8 joined at its lateral edges to the lower edges methods and means for constructing fuselages of the side sections. Each side section 5 and 6 5 known as the metal monocoque type, wherein comprises a segmentally formed skin 9 fixedly a sheet metal skin is applied to a skeleton strucattached at its upper and lower edges to iontural framework. grons in, these in the preferred embodiment A principal object of the invention is to protaking the form of bulb angles, the skin 9 being 10 vide a sectional fuselage structure wherein comspot-welded or riveted as at H to the straight 10 ponents, such as the two sides, top and bottom flange l2 of the bulb angle. Between the lonmay be separately completely fabricated as subgerons l0, and'adjacent the skin 9, curved transassemblies, to be later assembled together. verse braces l3 are attached in axially spaced A further object is to arrange the bracing in relation along the fuselage, the braces l3 being the sub-assemblies to assume most e'iiiciently the of special bulb angle cross-section to be fully 15 loads to which they are subject; for instance, described later. Afltting I4 is riveted or welded the top and bottom assemblies are braced prias at l5 to each end of each brace IS, the fitting marily for tensile and compressive loads, and the in turn being riveted as at It to the bulb flange side assemblies are braced primarily for shear of'the longrons i0. A fitting I1 is attached to loads, thus producing, in effect, a sort ofbox the other side of the longrons Ill, being held beam. It is realized, however, that all subthereto by the rivets i6 and by additional means, assemblies in the fuselage are subject in some if desirable. The skin 9 is preferably attached degree to both tensile, compressive and shear to the braces l3 at a plurality of points, by spot loads; the bracing is arranged as above stated welding, as shown in Fig. 3, or by riveting as to better assume the greatest loads of a certain shown in Fig. 4. The side panels 5 and 6 de- 25 character in the most efiicient manner. v scribed above in detail, may be fabricated on'jigs Additional objects of the invention are to proas complete sub-assemblies, the straight flanges vide a novel form of skin-contacting structural l2 of the longrons being drilled and countermember; to provide novel means for joining sunk as at. l8. 7 together the fuselage sub-assemblies; to provide The top and bottom sections 1 and 8 are sub- 30 a plurality of sub-assemblies some of which may stantially the same, being separately fabricated be finally assembled to provide a partial fusein jigs as were the side sections. Each top and lage shell within which other aircraft compo-' bottom section I and 8 comprises a segmental 'nents may be readily assembled, after which skin I! of thin sheet metal to which are atthe final fuselage sub-assemblies may be astached longitudinally thereof, and circumferen- 35 sembled to the balance of the structure; and to tially spaced from one another, a plurality of provide a sectional structure, parts of which stringers 20, these stringers 20 being of bulb may be removed for repair or replacement in angle cross section of substantially the same case of damage without the necwsity of replacform as the braces IS. The bulb flanges of the stringers carry longitudinally spaced angle plates 40 Hereinafter, one embodiment of the invention 2| to which transverse formers 22 are attached, will be described in connection with the anthe formers "extending toward the lateral edges nexed drawing, to more clearly illustrate the of the skin 19. principles of the invention. In the drawing, The sides 5 and i may then be assembled to similar numbers indicate similar parts. the'bottom section 8, the ends of the formers 22 Fig. 1 is a. perspective view of a portion of an engaging parts of the fittings ll, said ends then aircraft fuselage constructed according to the being bolted to the fittings by bolts 23. The skin principles of theinvention; ll overlies the side skin 9 and the longron flange Fig, 2 is an enlarged section through part of l2. The assembler then drills the skin I, pilotthe meme; ing the drill from with n in the holes lI,-where- 0 dis. 31s a section on the line 3-4 of Hg. 2; after the-sheets and 9 are pressed intothe and V a countersink portions of the'holes II and flat Fig. 4 is a section through aportion of the head screws 2| areapplied. skin and an attached bracing element. The interior fuselage equipment, not shown, 'l'hefuselazeemnpriaee aidemnoauanda' mlybeinstilled after whlchthe top section 1 is assembled in the same manner as was the to assume-oompressive. -and tensile loads, the first bottom section 8. said panel provided with a longron attached to The resultant fuselage presents a smooth outer the said skin section and circumferential braccontour of circular or elliptical cross-section, as ing, having an attached bracket fitting and and compression bracing (20). a means adapted to engage the said apertures in The bulb angles forming the members l3 and assembled relationship of the two panels. comprise skin contacting flanges of arcuate 3. A metal fuselage construction comprising a cross section, the arc thereof having a radius plurality of separable sub-assemblies; two said of curvature somewhat smaller than the smallest sub-assemblies comprising side panels each havsents two advantages. One is, that the skin has longrons and braces; two said sub-assemblies a rather wide range of angularity in its potential comprising respectively a. top and bottom panel contact with the brace member, as shown in Fig. each having a curved covering, transverse form- 20 While I have described my invention in detail ing surface is obtained. in its present preferred embodiment, it will be 4. In sectional fuselage construction, a separa obvious to those skilled in the art, after under ble assembly joint -for two adjacent fuselage seccations and changes. tached to said covering and to the said member;

What is claimed is:

1. In fuselage construction, top and bottom tudinal stringers, a curved skin covering and the said longrons, and arranged for the assump-'- portions thereto.- tion of shear loads, transverse formers attached 5. In sectional aircraft fuselage construction, at one end of each to the skin of the top and bota separable assembly joint for two adjacent fusethe aid skin and havin ss m ly conn tions having its longitudinal edge attached to a leg of each two adjacent panels. second section comprising longitudinal stringers,

2. In monocoque fuselage construction, a joint a curved skin covering and transverse formers, adapted for the connection of two unit fuselage ;the said stringers being interposed between and panels comprising a skin section braced longisaid formers; the said skin coverings having overjoint, the second said panel adapted principally FREDERICK R. WEYMOUTH. 7 

